Medical Assistant Certification

The best advice that can be given to a recent medical assistant graduate is to get your National Certifications as a medical assistants. A greater number of employers are preferring (or even insisting) that their medical assistants be CMAs (AAMA).

Medical Assistant Certification

Once you pass the exam, you will receive an official certificate to prove you have achieved your CMA (AAMA) credential. You’ll be able to put your name and credential on your résumé, and use the credential anywhere you apply for a medical assisting position across the nation.

Two important reasons that you would not be eligible for the exam are as follows:

1. If you are not attending or have not graduated from a medical assisting program that is CAAHEP or ABHES accredited or that was CAAHEP or ABHES accredited within three years of your graduation from the program you are not eligible for the exam.

You may contact AAMA certification staff to inquire about your eligibility; however, final determinations are made only upon review of submitted exam applications.

2. Generally, individuals who have been found guilty of a felony, or pleaded guilty to a felony, are not eligible to take the CMA (AAMA) Exam. However, the Certifying Board may grant a waiver based upon mitigating circumstances

To be eligible to apply for the CMA (AAMA) Certification/ Recertification Examination, you must be one of the following:

1. You are a candidate in this category if you have graduated from or are about to complete a medical assisting program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health (CAAHEP) or by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).

Recent graduates are those who apply for the exam within 12 months of graduation.

You are a candidate in this category if you are a graduate of a medical assisting program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health (CAAHEP) or by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) whose graduation date is more than 12 months prior to the date your application is postmarked.

3. CMA (AAMA) recertificant

You are a candidate in this category if you have previously passed the CMA (AAMA) Certification Examination and were awarded the CMA (AAMA) credential.